winter squash muffins

 I canned some winter squash last year, when I'd use half or other reasons.  I was trying to feed it to the dog but it hasn't made her GI tract very happy, so I'm finding other uses. 

Muffins are always a good choice, and I'll try this recipe soon especially since I pulled a mystery jar out of the freezer that has turned out to be homemade applesauce needing to be used up.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (140 g) butternut squash puree - canned or cooked and mashed 
•  2 eggs (I have eggs to use up but I am going to try to start using "flax eggs")
•  ¼ cup (60 g) maple syrup (I'm omitting hoping the the squash and applesauce, etc. provide enough sweetness - if these are missing sweetness I'll try date paste in the future or something else)
•  ¼ cup (60 g) unsweetened applesauce
•  ½ cup (120 mL) plain Greek yogurt (I'm using plain yogurt I make)
•  ⅓ cup (80 mL) extra virgin olive oil
•   1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•  1 cup flour (125 g) (I'll use white whole wheat; can be GF)
• 1 cup (80 g) old fashioned oats
•  2 teaspoons baking powder
•  ½ teaspoon salt
•  1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (I'll use cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom ... )

Instructions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/204 degrees C. Use a silicone muffin tray or silicone liners if you have them. If not, grease or spray paper liners and place them in a regular muffin tray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the butternut squash, eggs, maple syrup, yogurt, oil, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine the flour, whole oats, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and whisk or stir together. The batter should be lumpy from the oats. Fill muffin tins for 12 muffins.   Transfer to the muffins to the preheated oven and bake on the center rack for 19 to 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the tops are very lightly browned. Remove the muffins from the oven. Let them cool for a few minutes in the muffin tray, then transfer to wire racks to finish cooling. 

 

tempeh and green bean stirfry

 Garden is producing green beans, and I have tempeh.  Time to make this.  

Ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable stock
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon neutral-flavored vegetable oil
• ½ cup diced yellow onion (about ½ an onion)
• 1 tablespoon peeled minced fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 8-ounce package tempeh, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 16 ounces green beans, trimmed and chopped
• ¼ cup toasted cashews, chopped (see technique tip in Notes)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the vegetable stock, soy sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch.
2. In a large pan over medium heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic, and cook for a minute or two, or until fragrant.
3. Add the tempeh and green beans to the pan, and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until the green beans soften and the tempeh browns.
4. Add the soy sauce mixture to the pan and cook for another minute or two, or until the sauce thickens. Top with the toasted cashews.

Notes

Technique tip for cashews: If you’re starting with untoasted cashews, place a large, dry (no oil) over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the nuts and cook, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. They can also be roasted in a 400°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them, because they can burn easily.

 

sardines

 I've been really trying to convince myself to eat more sardines and it's not really working.

Though, I made pasta puttanesca tonight and added a can of sardines and it was fine.

Other ideas:

spicy sardine sandwich 

Sardine and barley bowl

And I'll keep looking.  

 

zucchini muffins

 I'm excited to make this zucchini muffin recipe from here once I get some more zucchini from my garden. 

Zucchini Oat Muffins

Ingredients

1 cup packed pitted dates

Boiling water

1 1/4 cups coarsely grated zucchini (1 medium zucchini)

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup sugar (I'll probably omit - the dates are enough sweet)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1/3 cup neutral-tasting oil, such as light-tasting olive oil, avocado, grape seed or canola oil

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions

Place the dates in a medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over them to cover and let soak for 1 hour. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid, then drain the dates well.Combine the dates and the reserved liquid in a food processor (mini, preferably) and puree to form a smooth paste, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, as needed.

Place the grated zucchini in a colander in the sink; let drain for 20 minutes, then gather it up in your hands to extract as much moisture as possible.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have a standard-size, 12-well muffin pan at hand. Lightly grease the wells with cooking oil spray or line them with baking paper cups.

Stir together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.

Stir together all the date paste, eggs and oil in a mixing bowl until incorporated, then stir in the grated, drained zucchini. Add the flour mixture and stir until no trace of it remains, then stir in the walnuts.

Divide the batter evenly among the wells. Bake (middle rack) for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm, or at room temperature

 

healthy-ish peach cobbler

This tasty peach cobbler is from here, with some modifications.

Ingredients

• 4 cups sliced or chopped peaches (or canned)
• 1 T cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon or almond extract
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (or a GF all purpose blend)
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup sugar (or less, or a substitute) 
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg (will try flax eggs in the future)
• 1/4 cup butter 
• 1/4 cup milk (I often sub out at least part of the butter and the milk with yogurt)

 Instructions

•  PUt peaches in 8x8 pan, stir with cornstarch and spice/extract.
• In a bowl, mix:\ the flours, baking powder, sugar, salt.
• Cut in the butter.  Stir in egg and milk just until mixed.
• Form into a few thin "biscuits" and lay on top of the peaches.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.   

whole wheat tortillas

 I've made these white whole wheat tortillas a couple of times now, and they're great. Pretty easy, don't take too long, very tasty.  

Ingredients

• 2 cups white whole wheat flour (240 g)
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 c warm water

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix together the flour, oil and salt.
2. Slowly add the warm water while stirring until a rough dough comes together. Add a little extra water if needed.
3. Turn the dough onto the counter and knead for about two minutes.
4. Return to bowl and let rest for 20 minutes.
5. Divide dough into 8 equal balls.
6. Roll each ball into a circle - I use a rolling pin 
7. Heat a pan over medium high heat and grease lightly.
8. Drop one dough circle into the pan and let cook until bubbles form- about 1 minute.
9. Flip over and cook another minute, pressing down with a spatula if needed. Repeat with remaining dough.
10. Use immediately, store in an airtight container in the fridge or freeze.

Note: I slightly undercook them before putting into fridge or freezer, so that I can reheat them and cook them longer while cheese is melting on them.  

lower sugar peach jam

 I've got heaps of peaches and they are so good.  I went low on the sweetener with this peach jam and I think it's great.

Follow the Pomona Pectin recipe but use only 1/2 c of sugar for 4 jars (that's 25 grams per jar, which is usually at least 6 servings).

• 4 cups peaches
• lemon juice  
• calcium water
• pectin
• 1/2 cup sugar 

So basically I'm just memorializing this here so I don't forget I went even lower sugar than the recipe because the peaches are so good!